Box



W. R. SLACK ET AL BOX Filed Dec. 50, 1939 Sept. 23, 1941.

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Patented Sept. 23, 1941 BOX William R. Slack and Cyrus E. Lomax, Dayton,Ohio Application December 30, 1939, Serial No. 311,850

3 Claims.

This invention relates to box construction, and more particularly toboxes that can be readily collapsed.

One object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible metal boxhaving a bottom and sides provided with interlocking connections withone another and adapted to be readily assembled and disassembled withoutthe use of any special tools.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible sheetmetal box having side members which slidably interlock with one another,along their edges, the sides being assembled by sliding one along theother in the direction of the side edges.

Another object is the provision of a collapsible sheet metal boXadjacent parts of which are connected by inwardly facing flanges of onemember engaging and interlocking with flanges adjacent the edges ofadjacent members, so that the two members will be held together againstmovement in any lateral direction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible sheetmetal box having slidably interconnected side members some of which areslidably connected to a bottom plate, some of the side members havingvertically extending inwardly facing flanges interlocked with a bracingmember serving to hold the side members against lateral separation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible sheetmetal box that may be used as a flshermans live box, and which may becompletely collapsed into a comparatively flat package.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 7 will be apparent fromthe following description, the appended claims, and the accompanyingdrawing, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention has beenillustrated.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible box embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through one end of the box asindicated on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the upper portion of thebox showing the cover in closed position.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 through the frontside of the box;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side View of a lower corner of the box as viewedin the direction of the arrow 5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the bottom Referring moreparticularly to the drawing by reference numerals, the collapsible box,as shown in Fig. 1,is provided with a sheet metal bottom plate, andsheet :metal side plates H, l2, l3, and M which extend vertically fromthe edges of the bottom plate. vA hinged cover I6, also of sheet metal,is hingedly connected to the side plate 12. The several plates,mentioned are detachably connected to one another so that they can beassembled and disassembled into a flat package without the use of tools.At opposite ends of the bottom plate H! the latter is integrallyprovided with flanges thatinterlock with flanges extending along thelower edges of the two side plates l3 and it. One of these interlockingconnections is shown in Fig. 5, the bottom plate H) being shown with adownwardly and inwardly turned flange l1 providing a channel facingtowards the center of'this plate. The lower edge of the side it isturned inwardly as indicated at [8 and then flanged reversely asindicated at l9, forming a channel that receives the flange l1, andproviding an interlocking connection between plates !9 and M by slidingthe plate I4 horizontally in the direction of its lower edge and thussecure these plat-es one to the other. At its opposite end the bottomplate I I] is correspondingly formed and interlocks in the same mannerwith a reverse flange that extends along the lower edge of the sideplate l3; Extending along each vertical edge of the side plates I3 and Mis a connection flange by means of which these plates are connected tothe two adjacent side plates I l and 12, plates H and I2 .beingassembled to the other two side plates by sliding them downwardly in thedirection of their vertical edges. The interlocking connection betweenthe plate M and the two side plates H and I2 is shown in Fig. 2. As willbe apparent from that figure, the plate 12 extends past the body portionof the plate 14 .and is outwardly flanged as indicated at 2! and thenbent so as to extend outwardly at .22 and then reverseiy flanged asindicated at 23. provides a channel facing towards the plate andreceiving the flange 2| of the plate It, the interlockingconnectionholding these two plates together against any lateral movementin any direction althoughthe plates may be readily assembled ordisassembled merely by relative sliding movement in a verticaldirection. At its opposite end, the plate It is outwardly flanged asindicated at'24 and the side'plate II is re portion of the box along theline 66 of Fig- 1. v rsely flanged as shown at 25. The plate 13 Thereverse flange has similar interlocking connections at its edges withthe plates II and I2.

The bottom plate I0, adjacent each corner, is preferably provided withan outwardly extending lug 21, adjacent the lower opposite corners ofthe side plates II and I2, which are cut out or recessed as indicated at28 to receive them. The lugs 21 prevent excessive downward movement ofthe side plates II and I 2. The side plates I I and I2 are interlockedwith the bottom plate II), the latter having outwardly extending arms orlugs 29 which may be riveted on the upper side of the bottom plate andwhich project out through slots 3|] in the lower portions of the sideplates II and I2. These slots 30 are somewhat larger, in their verticalextent, than the thickness of the lugs 29, and the lugs are preferablydownwardly flanged as indicated at 3| so as to interlock with the sideplates to hold them from bulging outwardly. The height of each slot 30is large enough so that the flanged portions 3| of the lugs 29 may beentered through the slots by bulging the side plates slightly, in anoutward direction, and the lugs may then be entered in the slots. Afterentering the lugs in the slots the side plates II and I2 may be pulledupwardly until the bottom of the slots engage the lower sides of thelugs. The lugs and the slots provide supporting connections from theside plates II and I2 and form an interlock between these side platesand the bottom plate when the parts are in their assembled position.

The side plates II and I2 are also interconnected to one another bymeans of a brace 33 in the form of a frame of sheet metal provided alongeach vertical edge thereof with an inwardly facing flange 34. Riveted orotherwise secured to the side plate II is a metal strip 35 which isflanged reversely so as toprovide a vertical channel facing toward theplate II and forming an interlocking connection with the flange 34. Asimilar interlocking flange connection is provided between the plate I2and the other side of the brace 33. The brace 33 may be applied merelyby sliding it downwardly and the two opposite sides of the box are thusheld against outward bulging movement.

A partition wall 31 may be provided to separate the interior of the boxinto a plurality of compartments. This partition wall is a sheet metalplate having reversely flanged vertical edges 38 received in flangedmetal strips 39 which are riveted to the side plates II and I2. Thepartition wall is adapted to be applied or removed merely by sliding itin a vertical direction.

The cover I6 which is formed of sheet metal has its body portions, nearthe edges, reversely flanged as indicated at 4D to provide stiffeningribs extending along the inner sides of the several side walls II, I3and I4. At its rear edge, the plate I6 is integrally provided withseveral curved strips 4| forming hinge portions engaging hinge pins 42each of which is welded at its opposite ends to the upper edge of theplate I2 which is suitably recessed to receive the hinge pins. Thespaces between the hinge pins 42 and the upper parts of the recessedportions of the plate I2 form passages that receive the strips 4|. Whenthe cover is moved more than 180 from its closed position, thusextending back and downwardly from the plate I2, the curved strips 41may be disengaged from the hinge pins in order to readily separate thecover from the side I2, although with the cover in its closed positionor in an upwardly extending vertical position the hinge connectionprevents separation of these parts.

The cover is preferably provided with a handle 43 for carrying purposes,and with a slotted lock plate or fitting 44 which fits over a lock loop45 on the plate II.

The disassembly of the box is readily effected. The cover is turnedrearwardly and separated from the back plate I2. The partition wall 31and the brace member 33 are then removed merely by pulling themupwardly. The sides II and I2 are then forced downwardly to free theslots 30 from the downturned flanged ends of the lugs 29 and these sidesare then bulged outwardly to separate the arms from the slots so thatthe sides can be pulled upwardly and thus 7 separated from the sides I3and I4. The latter are then separated from the bottom merely by slidingthem horizontally or in other words in the direction of their edges. Theseveral plates are comparatively fiat, and may be stacked one upon theother to form a flat package that can be readily carried or shipped.

The box may be used for many purposes, for shipping or carryingarticles, and of course the sides of the box may be made imperforatealthough where the box is adapted for use as a fishermans live box, theside walls are provided with groups of perforations 41 and 48 in theside Walls I2 and II, the groups of the perforations in the side wall I2being arranged at a somewhat higher level than the groups ofperforations 48 so that a through current of water cannot readily flowin a horizontal direction across the interior of the box when the box issubmerged in a current of water. Live fish in the box will not be dashedaround in the box by waves or violent currents in the surrounding water.The bottom plate l0 and the side plates I3 and I4 are also provided withperforations 49 so that when the box is submerged or partly submerged inwater, the fish which are in the larger compartment between the wall 31and the side wall I3 may be kept alive. The partition '37 need not beused, but forms a convenient part to partition the interior of the boxinto a bait compartment and a live fish compartment.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A collapsible sheet metal box comprising a bottom plate having aconnection flange at each of two opposite edges thereof, a pair ofopposed side plates each having a connection flange slidablyinterlocking with a flange of the bottom plate and having a connectionflange at each of its two vertical edges, a second pair of side plateseach having connection flanges slidably interlooking 'with flanges ofthe first pair of side plates, means projecting from opposite sides ofsaid bottom plate, said second pair of side plates having openingsreceiving said projecting means to support the bottom plate from saidsecond side plates.

2. A collapsible sheet metal box comprising a pair of opposed sideplates having at each of its two Vertical edges a vertical flangeproviding an inwardl facing channel, and a second pair of side plateshaving at each end thereof an outwardly extending flange adapted forreception in channels of the adjacent side plates, said second pair ofside plates being arranged outwardly of portions of the first-named sideplates, one pair of said side plates having vertically extending flangesarranged between the vertical edges thereof and providing inwardlyfacing channels, and a bracing plate extending across the interior ofthe box and having inturned flanges slidably interlocking with saidchannels, and a bottom plate having a detachable connection with some ofsaid side plates.

3. A fully collapsible sheet metal live box comprising a bottom plate, apair of side plates slidably interlocking with said bottom plate, asec-.

ond pair of side plates each having opposed vertical flanges slidablyinterlocking with the first pair of side plates, a cover detachablyconnected to one of said side plates, two opposed side plates eachhaving a group of small holes with the group of holes in one of saidplates arranged at a difierent height from the group of holes in the 10other.

WILLIAM R. SLACK. CYRUS E. LOMAX.

